And yet losing the city isn't exactly a huge loss for ISIS. At least not in the larger scheme of the war.

The group reportedly controls more territory now in Syria than it did when U.S. airstrikes began in August.

And the defeat may not be that big of a testament to the effectiveness of coalition airstrikes, either. At least not by themselves.

The New York Times notes it took more than 700 strikes in all to dislodge the group from Kobani. That's nearly three-quarters of all airstrikes launched in Syria since August. (Video via RT)

Even with ISIS out of Kobani, it'll still be awhile before residents who were forced to flee will be able to move back in. According to The Wall Street Journal, much of the city's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, leaving many areas without electricity or running water.